Entries in pastry
(2)

Anytime I mention quiche to someone I get a HUGE eye roll. I know it is so very passé, but sometimes it works. And in this case, it was all that was going to work. The reason being? Hermine decided to drop a shit ton of rain, wind and palm fronds all over the place. It wasn’t fit for woman nor beast out there. I had a fridge full of leftovers from the previous night’s BBQ that I wanted to use in some way. Now, I could have made a blueberry tart, but didn’t think that was a good choice for dinner, plus I love the combo of grilled corn and zucchini. I did add diced tomatoes, but probably wouldn’t next time, they didn’t really add much. If I had fresh basil, I would definitely have used that, but I didn’t so I used thyme. Plus, I had pastry dough in the freezer, and that made a savory, summer, light dinner even easier. This is very much a seat of your pants sort of recipe, no exact quantities, or ingredients, just use what you have on hand.

Pastry dough for a 9-inch tart (recipe below makes enough for two crusts)

3 large eggs

Heavy cream

Grated cheese (I had Manchego on hand)

Grilled corn, kernels off the cob

Grilled zucchini, diced

Fresh thyme

1 cup diced tomatoes, drained (optional – in fact don’t bother)

Salt & pepper

For the tart

Preheat oven to 450°F. Roll out dough on a floured surface 2-inches larger than a 9-inch tart/quiche pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough up so it’s slightly higher than the pan’s edge. Prick and freeze 20 minutes. Line chilled pastry shell with parchment paper and cover bottom with pie weights or beans. Blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove weights and parchment then continue baking to dry out the shell (no one wants a soggy bottom). Let cool 20 minutes before filling.

Lower oven temperature to 375°F. Toss the corn kernels and zucchini together in a medium bowl, add fresh thyme or basil, season with salt and pepper. Lightly beat three eggs then add enough heavy cream to make up 1 ½ cups (thanks Julia Child for that tip – think 1 large egg and enough liquid to make up ½ cup), season with salt and pepper, set aside.

Spread about ½ cup of shredded cheese on the bottom of cooled pastry, top with enough filling to cover the entire tart bottom.

Pour egg mixture over and bake 25 minutes. Spread more grated chees on top, bake for an additional 10 minutes until slightly brown and puffed up around the edges. Let cool 10 minutes and there you go. A yummy corn and zucchini not quiche

For the crust

2 cups all purpose flour

¾ cup shortening/lard – chilled and cut in cubes

Ice water

Process flour and shortening together in the bowl of a food processor for 30 seconds. If the dough does not form a rough shape, add a little ice water by tablespoon. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface, divide in two equal pieces, and shape each piece into a disk. Cover one disk with cling film and freeze. Roll disk out 2inches larger than tart pan

These pillow puffs are just the cutest little things to make! They’re perfect to whip up if your short on time but longing for an apple pie. Cooking the apples for about 15 minutes or so before hand makes certain the apples are tender, not too mushy and the pastry has a chance to brown, not burn. Using the pre-made pastry cuts down on the prep time so these can be whipped up in about 45 minutes…tops!

Ingredients

Makes 5 pluse a few more little ones

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons butter

2 nine inch ready made pie crusts

cold water, a few tablespoons

Confectioner’s sugar

Special equipment: 4 ¼ inch round cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Melt the butter in a medium sized skillet. Add the apples, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Cook over medium heat until the apples are very tender but not mushy (you don’t want applesauce!).

Un-roll crusts on a floured surface, cut out ten “pillows” using the cookie cutter, place five on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon apples on to “pillows.”

Roll out the remaining five “pillows” so they are slightly larger than the bases. Brush a little water around the edges of the “pillow” bases. Top with remaining pastry and use a fork to crimp down the edges of each “pillow.” Bake for 15-20 minutes until the “pillows” are golden brown. Cool then sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Serve with ice cream!!!

It’s All Delicious notes: I used my ravioli cutter and made little apple squares with the scraps of pastry. They were so cute too!